The last rocket to blast off from Florida’s Space Coast was SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy on August 30, carrying NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. That mission marked the end of a busy stretch for the region, which saw 109 launches in 2025 but now has fewer than 60 total this year. The slowdown comes as companies prepare for new rockets and address setbacks. SpaceX has shifted its Starlink satellite launches to California, reserving Florida for its Starship program. The Falcon 9 rocket, which previously launched Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral twice weekly, will now handle only non-Starlink missions from the Space Coast. "It’s a strategic move to focus resources on Starship," a SpaceX spokesperson said. NASA’s next mission from Florida, the Crew-13 flight to the International Space Station, has been delayed until at least mid-October due to an oxidizer leak on the spacecraft’s propulsion system. The delay adds to the pause in launch activity. Other companies have also faced challenges. United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, set for its debut in 2025, has been delayed by technical issues, while Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket remains grounded after a 2024 launch failure. The Space Coast, which typically sees at least two launches weekly, now faces a lull. "We’re in a transition period," said a Cape Canaveral Space Force Station official. "But Starship’s upcoming tests will eventually ramp things up again." SpaceX’s Starship, designed for deep-space missions, is expected to begin test flights from Florida in early 2027. Until then, the region’s launch activity will remain subdued.